Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® 2007 to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate, and Inspire, Second Edition

Book description

Transform your presentations and boost your impact with practical, easy-to-apply techniques for using PowerPoint 2007. Author Cliff Atkinson is a presentation-skills expert who is helping revolutionize the way Fortune 500 companies design and deliver their critical presentations. Even major news media reported the contribution of Cliffs techniques to a verdict in a high-profile trial. In his highly-regarded, popular book Beyond Bullet Pointsnow fully updated for PowerPoint 2007Cliff shares his innovative three-step method that helps you unlock the amazing story buried in those bullet-riddled slides. He guides you, step by step, as you discover how to combine the tenets of classic storytelling with the power of projected media to create a rich, engaging experience. With easy-to-use templates, advanced tips, and plenty of illustrations and examples, youll learn techniques to help you clarify, visualize, and present your ideas so that your audience will remember your important message. This newly revised, popular guide now includes a CD with sample PowerPoint 2007 files and graphics.

Table of contents

  1. Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® 2007 to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate, and Inspire
  2. Dedication
  3. A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. About the Author
  6. Introduction
  7. 1. Making Headlines Beyond Bullet Points
    1. Can I Really Change the World with a PowerPoint Presentation?
    2. The Perfect PowerPoint Storm
    3. Stepping onto the Media Stage
    4. A Singular Story
    5. The Heart of the Problem
    6. Distilling the Essence
    7. Mixing Mediums
    8. Fade to Gray
    9. Stark Choices
    10. Winds of Change
    11. The Power of BBP in Your Hands
  8. 2. Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks
    1. Three Bedrock Tools of PowerPoint
    2. Trick 1: Use Slide Sorter View to Manage the Volume
      1. In Search of "Research Reality"
      2. Research Reality 1: You Have to Respect the Limits of Working Memory
      3. BBP Respects the Limits of Working Memory
      4. The Old Way Ignores the Limits of Working Memory
    3. Trick 2: Use Notes Page View to Sync Pictures and Narration
      1. Research Reality 2: You Have to Address the Two Channels
      2. BBP Addresses the Two Channels
      3. The Old Way Addresses Only One Channel
    4. Trick 3: Use Normal View to Guide the Eye and Ear
      1. Research Reality 3: You Have to Guide Attention
      2. BBP Guides Attention
      3. The Old Way Does Not Guide Attention
    5. A Well-Trained Tool
  9. 3. Getting Started with BBP
    1. What Does the Road Ahead Look Like?
    2. Sewing Up Understanding with BBP
      1. The Heart and Brain of BBP: The Story Template
      2. The Built-In Story Structure
      3. Theory Becomes Practical
    3. Step 1: Choose a Story Thread and a Pattern to Follow
    4. Step 2: Pull Through What’s Most Important First
    5. Step 3: Guide the Visual and Verbal Strands with Your Storyboard
      1. Sketching the First Five Slides
      2. Sketching the Rest of the Slides
      3. Applying Custom Layouts
      4. Adding Graphics to the First Five Slides
      5. Adding Graphics to the Rest of the Slides
      6. Stepping into the Screen
      7. Presenting in Multiple Views
      8. Presenting with a Tablet PC
      9. Presenting Online
      10. Documenting the Experience
    6. The Relative Importance of the Three Steps
    7. Getting Started with the BBP Story Template
    8. Writing Headlines Using Three Ground Rules
      1. Rule 1: Write Concise, Complete Sentences with a Subject and a Verb in Active Voice
      2. Rule 2: Be Clear, Direct, Specific, and Conversational
      3. Rule 3: Link Your Ideas Across Cells
  10. 4. Planning Your First Five Slides
    1. What Will You Show, Say, and Do in the First Five Slides?
    2. Starting with the Title and Byline
    3. Choosing a Story Thread
      1. Orienting the Audience with the Setting Headline
      2. Interesting the Audience with the Role Headline
      3. Engaging the Audience with the Point A Headline
      4. Motivating the Audience with the Point B Headline
      5. Creating Dramatic Tension Between the Point A and Point B Headlines
      6. Focusing the Audience with the Call to Action Headline
    4. Choosing a Pattern to Follow
    5. Closing the Curtain on Act I
      1. Reviewing the Five Headlines
      2. Appealing to Your Audience’s Emotions
      3. Focusing Your Ideas
    6. 10 Tips for Enhancing Act I
      1. Tip 1: Inspiration from the Screenwriters
      2. Tip 2: 10 Story Variations
      3. Tip 3: Your Act I Screen Test
      4. Tip 4: Multiple Stories, Multiple Templates
      5. Tip 5: Visualize Your Audience
      6. Tip 6: What Problem Is Your Audience Facing?
      7. Tip 7: Strategic Collage
      8. Tip 8: The Story of Advertising
      9. Tip 9: Persuasive Education
      10. Tip 10: Get the Writing Right
  11. 5. Planning the Rest of Your Slides
    1. The Problems of Sequence and Priority
    2. Three Columns of Clarity
      1. Threading the Eye of the Needle Using a Hierarchy
    3. Prioritizing Your Slides
      1. Justifying the Call to Action Headline with the Key Point Headlines
      2. Clarifying Each Key Point Headline with Its Explanation Headlines
      3. Backing Up Each Explanation Headline with Its Detail Headlines
      4. Fleshing Out the Rest of Act II
    4. Pulling Through What’s Most Important First
    5. Lowering the Curtain on Your Story Template
    6. 10 Tips for Enhancing Your Story Template
      1. Tip 1: The Power of Three
      2. Tip 2: Make Room for Four
      3. Tip 3: Tailor Your Act II Column Headings to Your Profession
      4. Tip 4: Story Templates for Teams
      5. Tip 5: The Story Nugget
      6. Tip 6: BBP Beyond PowerPoint
      7. Tip 7: Build an Outline in a Brainstorm
      8. Tip 8: Tap Your Team’s Talents
      9. Tip 9: Take the Express Elevator
      10. Tip 10: The Hierarchy in Your Mind
  12. 6. Setting Up Your Storyboard and Narration
    1. What Will You Show, Say, and Do During Every Slide?
    2. Preparing the Storyboard
      1. Reformatting Your Story Template Manually
      2. Using the BBP Storyboard Formatter
      3. Cuing Working Memory with Preliminary Slide Backgrounds
      4. Practicing Scaling to Time
      5. Editing Your Headlines If Needed
      6. Reviewing the Storyboard
    3. Planning for the Verbal Channel by Writing Down What You’ll Say
    4. Planning for the Visual Channel by Sketching Your Storyboard
    5. Storyboarding Using Three Ground Rules
      1. Rule 1: Be Visually Concise, Clear, Direct, and Specific
      2. Rule 2: In Act II, Sketch Consistency Within Columns and Variety Across Columns
      3. Rule 3: Sketch Outside the Screen Too
    6. 10 Tips for Enhancing Your Storyboard
      1. Tip 1: Set Up the Office Theme Slide Master Manually
      2. Tip 2: Set Up the Notes Master Manually
      3. Tip 3: Install the Storyboard Formatter on Your Local Computer
      4. Tip 4: Edit the Headlines
      5. Tip 5: Apply Slide Backgrounds Manually
      6. Tip 6: Set Up Custom Layouts and Themes Manually
      7. Tip 7: The BBP Storyboard Sketchpad
      8. Tip 8: Print Full-Page Storyboards
      9. Tip 9: Create Nested Storyboards
      10. Tip 10: Rehearse with Your Headlines
  13. 7. Sketching Your Storyboard
    1. What Do I Sketch on Each Slide?
    2. Sketching the Act I Slides
      1. Sketching the Title Slide
      2. Sketching an Optional Introductory Slide
      3. Sketching the Setting Slide
        1. Picture a Strong Start
        2. Tell a Story
        3. Start with a Chart
        4. Start with a Simple Line
        5. Start with a Video
      4. Sketching the Role Slide
        1. Prompt with a Simple Photo
        2. Hide the Headlines
        3. Tap into the Power of Paper
      5. Sketching the Point A and Point B Slides
        1. Use an "Emotional" Chart
        2. Double Your Impact by Splitting the Screen
        3. Interact at Points A and B
        4. Take a Poll
        5. Introduce the Motif
        6. Unlock Information with a Visual Prompt
        7. Link the Act I Slides with a Single Chart or Photograph
    3. Sketching the Call to Action and Key Point Slides
      1. Tripling Your Impact with Three Panels
      2. Propping It Up
      3. Adding It Up with Icons
      4. Using Video, Sound, or Motion Graphics (Carefully)
      5. Blacking Out the Screen
      6. Raising Interest with Your Layouts
      7. Keeping the Motif Flowing
      8. Integrating the Interaction
      9. More than One Speaker
      10. Going Back to A and B
    4. Sketching an Optional Navigation Bar
    5. Sketching the Explanation Slides
      1. Explaining Ideas by Building a Diagram
      2. Building a Chart Across a Series of Slides
      3. Sketching a Visual Organizer
      4. Completing the Explanation Slides
      5. Using a Screen Capture
    6. Sketching the Detail Slides
      1. Switching to Other Media
      2. Adapting Your Sketches to Your Profession
    7. Sketching Your Story Template
    8. Ready, Set, Sketch!
  14. 8. Adding Graphics to Your Storyboard
    1. Which Graphics Do I Add to Each Slide?
    2. Defining Your Design Constraints
    3. Adding Graphics Using Three Ground Rules
      1. Rule 1: See It in Seconds
      2. Rule 2: Align the Aesthetics with the Audience
      3. Rule 3: Defend Your Foundation!
    4. Starting the Production Flow
      1. Assigning What You Can
      2. Getting the Graphics You Already Have
      3. Getting the Graphics You Can Easily Find
      4. Creating the Graphics You Can
    5. Applying Custom Layouts to Your Storyboard
      1. Creating Layouts Manually
        1. Creating the Key Point Slide Layout Manually
        2. Creating the Explanation Slide Layout Manually
        3. Creating the Detail Slide Layout Manually
        4. Adding an Optional Navigation Bar Manually
        5. Adding Optional Animation Manually
        6. Adjusting the Notes Master Layout
      2. Applying, Reviewing, and Refining the Layouts
    6. Adding Graphics to the Call to Action and Key Point Slides
    7. Duplicating and Positioning Key Point Slides 1 and 2
    8. Creating the Act III Slides
    9. Preparing Slides That Don’t Require Graphics
    10. Adding Graphics to the Act I Slides
    11. Adding Graphics to the Explanation Slides
    12. Adding Graphics to the Detail Slides
    13. Fine-Tuning and Finishing Up
      1. Adding Graphics to the Title and Closing Credits Slides
      2. Reviewing and Adding Graphics to the Notes Pages
    14. Reviewing and Finalizing the Storyboard
    15. 10 Tips for Enhancing Your Storyboard
      1. Tip 1: Clip Your Ideas
      2. Tip 2: The Photo Basics: Size, Crop, and Compress
      3. Tip 3: Use Custom Layouts to Add the Same Graphic to Related Slides
      4. Tip 4: Try Three Treatments
      5. Tip 5: Design for Your Designer
      6. Tip 6: Build a BBP Layout Library
      7. Tip 7: Build a BBP Charts Library
      8. Tip 8: Call Out Additional Information
      9. Tip 9: Sketch It All, Live!
      10. Tip 10: Develop a Single Illustration, Slide by Slide
  15. 9. Reviewing a Range of BBP Examples
    1. What Other Examples Can I See?
    2. Introducing a Case with The Trial
      1. Act I: The Classical Storytelling Foundation
      2. A Photographic Setting Slide
      3. Reviewing the Act I Slides for The Trial
      4. Reviewing the Call to Action and Key Point Slides for The Trial
    3. Keeping on Track with The Plan
      1. Writing Act I of the Story Template
      2. Researching and Adding Available Graphics for The Plan
      3. Reviewing the Act I Slides for The Plan
      4. Reviewing the Call to Action and Key Point Slides for The Plan
      5. Delivering The Plan Remotely
    4. Presenting Results with The Analysis
      1. Researching and Adding Available Graphics for The Analysis
      2. Reviewing the Act I Slides for The Analysis
      3. Reviewing the Call to Action and Key Point Slides for The Analysis
    5. Making Information Meaningful with The Report
      1. Researching and Adding Available Graphics for The Report
      2. Reviewing the Act I Slides for The Report
      3. Reviewing the Call to Action and Key Point Slides for The Report
    6. Engaging Students with The Class
      1. Researching and Adding Available Graphics for The Class
      2. Reviewing the Act I Slides for The Class
      3. Reviewing the Call to Action and Key Point Slides for The Class
    7. Putting Your Clients at the Center in The Pitch
      1. Researching and Adding Available Graphics for The Pitch
      2. Reviewing the Act I Slides for The Pitch
      3. Reviewing the Call to Action and Key Point Slides for The Pitch
    8. Handling Objections to BBP
  16. 10. Delivering Your BBP Presentation
    1. Delivering Your Presentation Using Three Ground Rules
      1. Rule 1: Step into the Screen
      2. Rule 2: Remove the Distractions
      3. Rule 3: Manage the Flow
    2. Removing Distractions
      1. Preparing the Environment
      2. Checking the Technology
      3. Planning for Problems
      4. Rehearsing Away Distractions
      5. Using Notes
    3. Developing a Dialog
      1. Being Authentic
      2. Working Confidently with Your Slides
      3. Handling Q & A
    4. Improvising Within Constraints
      1. Keeping Control of Your Story
      2. Preparing for Different Contexts
      3. Handing Out Handouts
    5. Presenting Without Being Present
      1. Sending Your Notes Pages (Not Your Slides)
      2. Producing an Online Presentation
    6. And Now, Presenting . . .
    7. 10 Tips for Enhancing Your Delivery
      1. Tip 1: The Living Brand
      2. Tip 2: Toastmasters
      3. Tip 3: Stretch Yourself
      4. Tip 4: Innovative Handouts
      5. Tip 5: Got Gobo?
      6. Tip 6: Visual Mnemonics
      7. Tip 7: Make the Conversation High Voltage
      8. Tip 8: Magnify Intimacy
      9. Tip 9: Flip Through Flip Charts
      10. Tip 10: Predesign Media Tools
  17. 11. Preparing Others for BBP with a 5-Minute Exercise
    1. A Cross-Country Conversation
    2. The People Issues
    3. The Information Issues
    4. Visual Improvisation
      1. Step 1: Create the Presentation
      2. Step 2: Instruct the Group
      3. Step 3: Administer the Exercise
      4. Step 4: Reflect and Summarize
    5. Sophisticated Simplicity
    6. Twenty-First–Century Media
  18. A. BBP Ground Rules and Checklists
    1. The BBP Ground Rules
      1. Three Ground Rules for Writing Headlines
      2. Three Ground Rules for Storyboarding
      3. Three Ground Rules for Adding Graphics
      4. Three Ground Rules for Delivering Your Presentation
    2. The BBP Checklists
      1. Checklist: Planning Your First Five Slides
      2. Checklist: Planning the Rest of Your Slides
      3. Checklist: Preparing the Storyboard
      4. Checklist: Sketching the Storyboard
      5. Checklist: Adding Graphics to the Storyboard
      6. Checklist: Delivering Your Presentation
  19. B. Presenting BBP with Two Views
    1. Using Slide Show View and Tools
    2. Using Presenter View and Tools
      1. Turning on Multiple-Monitor Support
      2. Delivering a Presentation Using Presenter View
      3. Rehearsing with Presenter View and No Second Monitor
      4. Drawing Ink on the Screen in Presenter View
      5. The Downside of Presenter View
  20. C. Starting Your Point A and B Headlines
  21. D. Starting your Call to Action Headlines
  22. Index
  23. About the Author
  24. Copyright

Product information

  • Title: Beyond Bullet Points: Using Microsoft® Office PowerPoint® 2007 to Create Presentations That Inform, Motivate, and Inspire, Second Edition
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: October 2007
  • Publisher(s): Microsoft Press
  • ISBN: 9780735623873